Renewable energy sources are a topic of much importance in view of the geopolitical landscape, as well as perceived climate change. One of the more popular renewable energy sources is wind energy. Wind energy has been used as a source mechanical power for hundreds of years, and in more modern times has been used as a source of electrical energy. In the case of creating electrical energy, the air flow of wind is used to turn a propeller (i.e., wind passing blades of large wind generators cause rotation), and the rotational mechanical energy is then converted to electrical energy.
In spite of the many technological advances, propeller-driven wind generation still has many drawbacks. For example, most large scale propeller-driven wind generation systems use a governor in winds over about 22 miles per hour (MPH), and thus the additional energy in wind in excess of 22 MPH is lost. Moreover, large propeller-driven wind generation has adverse environmental consequences. In particular, the turning blades are a hazard to flying animals, particularly migratory animals such as birds and bats.
Beyond the environmental issues, large propeller-driven wind generation is also expensive to construct and maintain. The cost of transporting the large propeller-driven wind generation components to the fields is high. Moreover, the mechanical components and electrical circuitry are perched atop a tower that may be on the order of 100 to 250 feet above the ground, which is expensive to build and to maintain.